


Moeda

by Fooindia



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Ancient Rome, Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gladiators, M/M, Multi, OT12 (EXO), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sexual Content, Slavery, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:46:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26500858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fooindia/pseuds/Fooindia
Summary: The life in the great capital of Rome may bring out more than one could ever imagine.Just a idea I hope to work on a near future.Didn't really had the time to revise, so there may be errors.Hope you like it. Let me know!!!
Relationships: Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Park Chanyeol, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Kudos: 3





	Moeda

The sounds of colliding shields and steel against steel had already become familiar to Chanyeol. Once inside that place, the only sound greater than the sound of fighting was the screams of his trainer. Over time, the wood structure in the center of the school’s courtyard became more comfortable than the cubicle he shared with Sehun at night. The sand under his feet and glued in the sweat of his skin got less and less unpleasant. He could no longer recognize his own body without the little scars in his arms and legs.

Since the time he got there, Chanyeol not even once regret his choice. Even with the endless hours of training in the under the sun and the exhaustion, he knew that, at the end of the day, he would have a hot meal and a roof over his head.

Way before coming to the age of entering the training ground, Chanyeol and Sehun would fill each others heads with the thoughts of fighting for glory in the huge arenas.

“You have no chance against Sehun, The Great Dimachaerus.”, yelled Sehun on top of Chanyeol in the middle of the wheat field. “The crowd is thirsty for blood.” He then slices his hands through Chanyeol neck simulating a execution while crying in ovation.

“Get off of me.” Chanyeol said pushing Sehun and getting up with a small grin on his face. “You know that you would never be able to kill me.”

“I was just granting the emperor his wishes, don’t blame me.” Sehun said as they brushed of their clothes taking the small trail heading home.

They would do their little fight everyday after helping Sehun’s father in the field ever since Chanyeol got adopted. He was only seven when almost his entire village died from some horrible disease. He never forgot the yellowish tones of their skins and the sight of the corpses of most of the people he knew. But the most tangible memory he have from that time is the hunger and cold. He spent a few weeks trying to keep himself warm and fed in his lifeless house after the corpses were took and burned. When his supplies were all consumed he had no other alternative than leave it all behind like the rest of the village’s survivors After five days wandering to nowhere with little to no food, he almost collapsed of exhaustion in the Oh’s small farm. Seeing the condition the poor boy was, and after they were told his story, Sehun’s family welcomed him like he had always been one of them.

Little before they joined the school, Sehun’s father, being twenty years older than his mother, passed leaving the three of them behind. They were soon followed by a really bad harvest and it was obvious that they could no longer maintain the farm. The boys decided then that it was time to bring back their old fantasy and that they were old enough to make it real.

Chanyeol and Sehun really had a nice strong since they first met. After four years in the gladiator’s’ school they’ve grown into amazingly good gladiators. The trainer got used to match them up to push each other and, most importantly, to impress the school’s owner.

Today was one of those days. Chanyeol was once again under the hot sun with his spear and rounded shield on his hands. The hot closed helmet blocked part of his vision but kept his head fully protect. Through the small gaps positioned right in front of his eyes he could see Sehun.holding his two blades. His head was fully covered by a helmet just like his own, but he knew exactly the way he was grinning at him. 

They both wore light armor protecting only a few strategic parts of their but without keeping them from moving. Chanyeol was bigger,stronger and quite agile, so the spear and round shield of the Hoplomachus was perfect for him.

When the trainer signalized the start of the match, Sehun instantly dashed in Chanyeol’s direction. He was fast and struck Chanyeol’s shield relentlessly trying to find a opening in his defense. Seeing that Sehun was getting tired by the sudden charge, Chanyeol waited for the next smite and, once he felt the hit, pushed his shield forward using the other’s boost in his favor. Sehun could barely keep himself standing when the side of his leg got spiked and the shield hitted hii head taking him down with a unbearable echoing metal noise inside the helmet. As the sound was not messing his senses anymore Sehun could feel the big feet pressing his chest and the noise of the spear digging the ground close to his neck.

“I told you you could never kill me.” Chanyeol had a smile in his face and he could feel Sehun’s chest moving up and down as he laughed under his feet.

“Fuck you.” Sehun got up using Chanyeol offered hand as support.

One of the maids who took care of the infirmary and the kitchen walked in their direction ready to clean and band Sehun’s leg. Suddenly the sound of claps coming from the balcony of the building closest to the arena caught their attention.

“You’ve made an amazing job with these two. I am taking both. Make sure they are ready by tomorrow’s dawn.” MInho, the senator that owned the school, said looking at the trainer.

Sehun and Chanyeol looked at one another. They always knew that they were training there looking up to the real arena in a major city, but after four years in this place it felt like home. Most of the days they would not remember what the next step was. None of the trainee were ever warned when another group was going to be taken to Rome so it was always a surprise. But, as the owner said, they were ready.

  
  
  
  
  


Once back in the dorm building they were taken straight to to baths. They usually, as any other trainees, were bathed by themselves because it was as an ordinary activity as any other. This time was no different. While they were rubbing themselves with the strigil, the trainer explained how things would be from now on.

“ So, boys, you made it. You are going to Rome tomorrow. You know how it work, or at least you should by now. You are going to live in basically the same conditions in the Ludus Magnus as you live here with the additional thrilling of dying any day.” The trainer said walking around the small pool filled of hot water and cleaning oils where them and two other boys were bathing. “Rome is nothing like here or any other place forgotten by the Gods you might have come from. You never heard it from me, but Minho, you know, the owner and all that, is nothing there. You guys…” He pointed at all of them. “are even less, a lot less. So, if you guys wanna have a not so shitty life there, make some money, then retire and come to steal my job, be careful there.” The trainer got out of the bath area as soon as he finished speaking.

The trainer kind of was a parental figure for all the boys under his teaching. Even if he never told his name to any of the boys and was pretty much emotionless, most of the boys there had no family at all. Having a person who cared about them, as little as it was, made a huge difference for all of them.

Chanyeol and Sehun were almost the only ones in the school who had a family, and probably their was the only loving one and still the trainer was a paternal figure nonetheless.

All of them knew that the trainer was just trying to make them happy in his own way. The odds of really keeping yourself alive in the real arena was not that great. Most boys knew they wouldn’t last long,they had only the prospect of having a better life while alive.

Sehun was different. He did know how it would be and how dangerous and how death would be the most probable outcome - Chanyeol was always there to make sure that he does not forget how it really was. But he loved the idea of glory and being able to fight his way to the top. He was not a evil person or a blood thirsty one, he just did not see that much horror in death and considered the volunteered and paid gladiators a normal job just like any other.

“It is finally happening. Sometimes I would forget what we were here all this years for.” Chanyeol said rubbing Sehun’s back.

“Amazing , right?

“I can’t wait to see Rome with my own eyes. We will defeat every one and become legends, you know it. We will see the emperor and he will love us. It is not everyday that he get to see the hottest Dimachaerus available.” they laughed as the other two boys were leaving the room.

“You know it is not that easy. You have to keep your feet on the ground. haven’t you heard the trainer?” Chanyeol said turning to have his back cleaned this time.

“He is just worried. I am sure everything changed since he was the one fighting there. And you know we are the best.” Chanyeol looked over his shoulder to see the biggest smile ever on his brother’s face. He really was looking forward to this, and Chanyeol could only hope that everything was going to be okay.

  
  
  
  


The road to Rome were the best in the whole Empire, but it did not make the travel any more pleasant. They were taken in a cage like carriage that differed from the prisoners only by the benches they could sit on and Minho’s senate banner carried by one of his men. The roads were made of flat rocks that made the ride incredible smooth, letting the responsibility to make it a hellish travel to the sun and the distance.

“Holy Mercury, my ass is hurting so bad!” Sehun was complaining every time.

“You used to like that.” Chanyeol said with a smirk. 

The caravan was moving up a hill and the rising frequency of buildings alongside the road indicated that the great capital was close.

“You are far worse than a faun. You should be ashamed. I am as pure as- Woow!” Sehun got interrupted by the view. “That’s awesome!” He said as his expression got as bright as the sun. Chanyeol turned to see what Sehun was seeing.

Now on, the top of the mount, they could see the huge area around the seven hills that hold most of Rome. None of the boys had ever seen such a astonishing place in their lives. The endless white marble constructions and the red roofs on top extended as far as they could see. Even from the distance the power and wealth of the city was obvious. The Roman Forum standing strong in the Capitoline Hill. The Parthenon as bright as Apollo himself. And there was their destination: The gigantic stunning structure, defiant, attractive and powerful was constantly filled and cheerful of the ever entertainment seeking roman population.

The closer they got to the center of the city the more fascinating everything was. 

“Everyone here looks so rich and important, The trainer was not joking.” Sehun said never once looking back inside the carriage since entering the city.

“Most of them a probably as fucked as we are, the surroundings that do the trick.” Chanyeol said even if he was as amused as Sehun.

“We are close! Get ready to drop out.” A man yelled from the head of the carriage.

“The closer we get the more surreal it looks.”

“It’s already pretty surreal to me.” Chanyeol answered and standed up to stretch his back and legs before they were off to the his new home.

By the moment they got to the Ludus Magnus, half of the caravan had already gone to other directions followed by senator Minho’s commands. The small retinue left was made up by their carriage driven by the young man who was now in charge of them and two more of the senator’s men who carried his banners.

The Ludus Magnus, was a huge rectangular building made mostly of marble and red bricks with three open squares inside of it situated directly to the side of the Coliseum. Now, being this close to the Empire’s main arena, its presence was even strongly felt by them. 

“Here we are boys. I haven’t introduced myself yet. My name is Zhang Yixing and I was assigned as your lanista here in the Ludus.” The man said coming to the back of the carriage where Chanyeol and Sehun was standing. “There are a lot of gladiator living here and you will keep seeing new faces as soon as someone dies or leaves, so you don’t really have to mind knowing a lot of people here. Come, let me show you guys around.”

They followed Yixing through the marble arch and one of the bannerman took control of the carriage taking it somewhere. 

The trio was walking in a side corridor that went all around a square that followed the arch.

“All these people are here to watch the practices. It is a nice way to make some faithful fans between the real fights.” The lanista said as they were guided through the complex. The corridor passed under the wing that separated the two first squares. “And this is you training grounds.”

This new square had a lot more people. In the middle of it stood a similar version to the wood structure they used to practice in their former school but bigger. Around it was some weapons supports and some cushioned wood post. Gladiators practice against each other around the arena as well as inside of it where it looked much more intense. Viewers in the bleachers watched anxious as the fight got more intense and screamed as one of the men fell to his knee.

“Yeeeeah! That’s my boy! You saw it? Amazing.” Yixing got pretty excited along with the expectators hitting the boy’s shoulders as he spoke. “Those two are from Minho’s too. Let me introduce you guys.” 

As they got closer to the practice arena the crowd had almost fully dispersed into the main gate. Both of the gladiators in the center was being attended by the Ludus physicians.

“That was great! You never let me down.” Yixing said with a big smile stamped on his face as he approached the gladiators.

“Hey, babe.” The winner said and tugged his arms around Yixing waist and gave him a peck in the lips. “ You finally back, and brought new meat.” He then said looking the brothers up and down.

The match loser got closer to them and the height difference was clear.The winner was incredibly tall, even taller than Chanyeol, with a strong built that suited perfectly with the Provocator fighting style and the huge shield that was now thrown by his side. Contrastingly, the smaller but firm frame of the other fighter was made for the net and trident of the Retiarius style.

“This is Yifan, and this is Minseok.” Yixing pointed at them after saying each name.

“I’ve seen this kids before. Minho’s?” The Retiarius asked Yixing while three other gladiator passed by and one of them whispered something in Yifan’s ears. Chanyeol eyed them curious as Minseok continued, “You were pretty good if I rememb —

“Sorry, freshman, but Yixing and I have something important to.” Yifan interrupted and then Yixing. “Can you please show them their room? Is the empty one right next to yours.”

The couple followed the gladiator as Chanyeol and Sehun followed Minseok into a red brick building.

The halls had no luxury in it, but was surprisingly clean and well kept for a gladiator’s accommodation. Even though it was a big place, most of it consisted on rooms, so it took them no time to get through the common areas. Minseok showed them their room and pointed to the next door signing the room he shared with Yifan.

The moment they were left alone, they sat by each other’s side on one of the beds and left the few items they brought on the ground.

“The more gladiators I know the easier it is to understand why Venus fucked Mars, they are hot.” Sehun said in a playful tone.

“Shut up! You want to make the gods mad.” Chanyeol said laughing.

“Why would they? I just called Mars hot and Venus wise. No way I pissed them off.”

Chanyeol was happy right now and, even though resentful of how it would all be from now on, he was glad that he was with Sehun.

As Sehun went to lie on his own bed, Chanyeol’s curiosity got to him. “What do you think of Yixing and the other guys?” He asked.

“Hot. All of the three.” Sehun said right away.

“You know I’m not talking about that. Minseok seems pretty okay, but the way they left made me wonder. I mean it’s not like a gladiator has some important things to do beside training and fighting; and we were Yixing’s responsibility, so why would they just leave us there?” Chanyeol said glaring the ceiling as it got dark outside.

“Group sex? I don’t know. Back home I heard that people in Rome are wild. To be honest we don’t really know how things work here. Maybe they have things to do.”

“Maybe.... It just got stuck in my head.”

“You are just jealous that they are fucking. Don t you worry, your time will come. I just want to sleep now. I haven’t seen a bed for days. Good night Yeol.”

“Night, Sehun.”

He kept staring at the ceiling thinking about their new life and the new people in it until his eyes closed.

  
  
  
  


The battle arena felt as good as it did in their former school. The sand and heat felt the same. The fighting was harder. In this place, all the fighters were fully trained and basically all of them had already been in the Coliseum. Sehun was screaming as he watched his brother fight a incredibly muscled Murmillo. It took several minutes and some shallow cuts to defeat his opponent. Chanyeol only had fights as intense when against Sehun, but he was sure that it was about to change.

The cool shadow of the covered bleachers felt wonderful on his burning and sweating skin. Now it was his time to watch his brother.

Yixing, their lanista, stood on the edge of the fighting ground as he now evaluated Sehun’s abilities. Part of his job was to train Minho’s gladiators, and it started with knowing what he was working with. All of Minho’s fighter were training in the arena this morning as was solicited by the lanista when they woke up that morning.

Getting harsher in the center of the arena, Sehun’s match got the attention of all the men present. Sehun’s fight abilities were fascinating to look at. Chanyeol cheered and, even though tired, couldn’t keep his ass on the bleacher. Taking a glance at Yixing he saw that the lanista was also eagerly looking at the action. Once a opening in his opponent’s defenses was found, Sehun striked over and over trying to crack it open enough to end the battle. Then he felt to the ground and was quickly immobilized having a dagger touching his throat.

Yixing got close to the middle of the arena as the other man got off of Sehun. “That was great. What a amazing show.” He said offering his hand to help Sehun up on his feet.

Despite the subtle smile on his face, Chanyeol knew Sehun was angry on himself. Sehun can’t always control his excitement in when fighting. When that happens, he forget the reason and just go all the way emotional and it usually leads to him losing when his opponent notices it. 

Chanyeol hugged Sehun when he got to the Bleachers. “Don t get in your head. You already know what to improve, that’s half of the way. We can practice that tomorrow.”

“Actually, you can’t. We are all going to the arena tomorrow. The future emperor’s birthmoon start tomorrow and we are the Court favourite toys.” Sehun and Chanyeol looked at each other and then back to Minseok. It was not common to get into the real fights before two weeks in Rome and the confusion on their faces was noticed by Minseok. “Don’t worry. Like, really that is no need. You guys fight just nice.” He said and turned to see Yixing approaching..

“If you can keep yourselves alive during the fight it does not matter if you end up losing the match Kyungsoo doesn’t really like all the killing he never asks for the execution, so everyone will be fine.” He then seated by Minseok on the bleachers and continued. “Except for the criminals there won’t be any other killing. It will be a eventful week, The Golden Child of Rome’s celebrations is a big deal. Now you should all eat and get some rest you’ve been training the whole day. See you guys tomorrow morning.” He left them.

“We got the best opportunity to start out. The future emperor watching us in a huge event and with no risk of dying.” Sehun said replacing both the anger and the confusion on his face for excitement.

“You certainly are the lucky one.” Minseok said before leaving to the baths.

“If you want to make a good first impression you have to upgrade your ‘go nuts till you make it’ tactic. You don’t want to lose your first fight. Come here.” Chanyeol grabbed Sehun by the arm and dragged him into the arena.

They practiced until the the night was dark and the moon shined bright along with the stars and the torches throughout the arena.

  
  
  
  


The day was as pretty as it could be. The bluest of Zeus shades and Apollo shining at it fullest through it. Everything designating a perfect day for cold-blood murder in the Coliseum.

Chanyeol’s hands were dirty with the brownish red soil of the Ludus central open area. Burying his Fortuna statue was a old habit for him. Less than a year before her death, Chanyeol biological mother said that, if he protected the luck goddess image, Fortuna would would keep the infortunes away from Chanyeol in exchange. He doesn’t really know if she demanded such a thing, or if being covered in dirty was in fact something a god would desire, but the only thing he feared more than the gods was his mother so he did as he was said. After her death, he kept doing it whenever he thought a little help would be handy, and mostly because he always felt like his mother was once again close to him and he could truly talk to her as he did it.

Sehun was sitting in a close stair waiting for Chanyeol to finish his prayer.

“How was it?” He asked as usual as Chanyeol approached him and got by his side.

“Just the same. Burying a goddess is not that exciting.” 

“You know what I meant. Your mother, how is she?” Sehun said with a small smile on his face. Even though Sehun was not religious at all, he respected Chanyeol’s time with his mother as the most important thing and the expression in Chanyeol’s face when he asked about it showed how much he appreciated it.

“I know she is fine, just worried...I guess, she never liked the fighting.” Chanyeol explained and with a growing grin said in a tense voice. “Actually, she is really worried about you. She can’t think of you defeatting anything bigger than a rat, imagine another man.”

“Fuck you.” He pushed the taller shoulders “She knows I am fucking awesome fighter she would never doubt her favorite son.” He said in a playful mood.

“How would you know that?” Chanyeol loved how being with Sehun always lighted up his mood.

“I just know, okay? Now we have to eat before leaving Ludus. You don’t want the entire meal in your stomach when you are fighting for the little Emperor boy .It will be embarrassing enough without vomit.” Sehun said walking into the dinning hall.

  
  
  
  


The smell was awful and the cheering in the huge stone bleachers made dust fall in the dark corridor under the arena. The passage that connected the Ludus to the Coliseum was a underground tunnel that led directly to the animal cages and the prisoners cells. Walking down the corridor, looking inside the cages, Chanyeol could see the hunger in the animals eyes as much as the fear. The sight in the human prisoners’ face were not that different. Some of them prayed the their heretic christian god, some cried and pleaded not guilty, and some did both.

They were divided in various groups, each one in a cell similar to the ones the prisoners were kept, except it was a lot cleaner. Belonging to Minho, Chanyeol and Sehun where left in the same group as Minseok and Yifan.

The anxiousness in Sehun’s eyes and how he could not stay still or quiet for a second showed how much the newness of all of it was exciting for him. In the other hand, the relaxed small talk between the experienced gladiator showed how ordeal it become after sometime.

They were going to be the first gladiator act of the day, and after a few hours waiting on their cells, a Coliseum’s worker announced the time has come. The older gladiators got into two straight lines ended by Sehun and Chanyeol each. 

Looking directly to the head of the man in front of him, Chanyeol started to feel knots forming in his stomach. Since the day the Oh’s Pater presented him to his new family when he was a little child. Taking a last deep breath, he felt a big hand wrapping around his own and, looking to his left, Sehun’s reassuring smile made the knots in his stomach loose exactly the way he did when they met.

The closer they got to the arena ground the louder it got. The sunlight coming through the entrance could be seen in the end of the passage.The angry and tense expressions in Yifan’s face contrasted with the relaxed way Minseok shook his arms and legs stretching them. Now, holding real weapons and with the helmets on, it almost looked like they were going to war and that was what the emperor was selling to the people of Rome, the thrilling of the battlefield.

On the first sight of the gladiators, the crowd got really loud once again. The gigantic construction felt even bigger being inside of it. Blood stained areas were seen throughout the ground which the spectators and the fighters didn’t seem to care. 

They were spread through the arena in a few small groups and paired against other gladiators from a different group. Chanyeol and Sehun were paired against two strong looking Retiarius in a the middle of the arena, close to the cheering people.

They all turned to face the podium across the fighting ground where the most powerful people of Rome could comfortably watch the slaughter. The helmet and the direct sunlight made it difficult for to look at the most prominent people of Rome. The adorned throne in the middle of the podium indicated that the small figure seated on it was the emperor’s son and the person they were waiting orders from. In events like this, whenever it was possible, even the decision to execute or not a losing gladiator was the highly honored guest. He could barely see the boy’s right arm being lifted, but the booming sound of a cornu made it clear that the battle was about to begin.

When his eyes were once again locked at his opponents, they were darting in his direction. Their dragging nets bringing dust into the air, the keen trident pointing to his face. They paired up after the first onslaught and, now, Chanyeol and Sehun were against one of the Retiarius each. 

Fighting against a different type of gladiator meant a different strategy, and the Retiarius was the worst for Chanyeol. Dodging the net was exhausting, but throwing it was too. After some tries, the dark skinned man stopped and shook his arms to ease his sore muscle. Seeing it, Chanyeol knew he had his opening. He raised his spear aiming the man and pressed the packed sand under his feet as he dashed. And then he had his face on the ground. 

The people all around the arena cheered at full blast as they finally thought his combat was worth. They were all looking at his fight, but it was clear that all the noises they were making was direct to neither of them; they were cheering for the fight itself. 

The sand felt extra hot under his barely dressed body and some of it got inside of his helmet through the breathing holes. The net that brought him down was around his right arm and spear on the ground.

The success seemed to increase his opponent’s confidence The Retiarius striked hard and Chanyeol could barely hold his small shield against it as he struggled to get his hand out of the net, and letting go of his trapped spear. The strong thrusts didn’t gave Chanyeol any chance of getting up and he could feel the sand cloud entering his lungs every time he breathed this close to the ground. The hot sand now burning his back as he tried to get some distance without taking his eyes out of the other fighter until his head touched the wall that limited the arena. His opponent was getting more frustrated and the cheering mass more excited with each blow. The frustration led to stronger thrusts. The shield gave in and the trident pierced the metal protection along with the side of Chanyeol’s arm. Getting his shield away from his protective position, trying to take the stuck weapon out of his opponent’s hands, made the trident’s blade sink deeper into his arm. They were both tired, but neither wished to lose this battle. The crowd’s feverish screams were slowly quieting and the burning feeling on his arm quickly spreading. When the escalating pain was close to his neck, the blade closer to his bone and he was certain he would not be able to stand it, the Retiarius gave in. 

Once the tossed out of the man’s hand and the blade edge not pressing that hard anymore, Chanyeol loosed the leather straps and went fully on the man as the shield fell on the ground. The consecutive attacks the other gladiator made previously was enough tire the hell out of him, so, even with his bloody left arm invalided, Chanyeol punch against the man’s protective arms around his head was enough to bring him to the ground. Blinded and deafened by the adrenaline, he mounted on the limp man and striked his face as hard as he could. Blow after blow, the Retiarius’ arms fell to the ground and blood rose to his face through his nose and the slits appearing on it.

“STOP IT RIGHT NOW!” The biggest man he had ever seen said a few feet away who was cleared not a gladiator. “His fate does not belong to you.” He said pointing somewhere. 

Regaining his senses as he was moving his eyes in the direction that was indicated, the blasting sound of cheers invaded his ears in one go, making him even more dizzy. There were a lot less gladiators on the arena as the defeated ones had already been taken. The victorious ones were all looking at him in awe and some were applauding. Closer to him, Sehun had a both scared and proud smile on his face and, after a while,.pointed to the same direction as the big man had.

All the nobles and servants on the Podium had the same awe and amusement printed on their faces as they cheered along with the peasants, except for the small man on the throne. HIs dizziness made it harder for him to discern the sight, but the gold embroidered white cloth was waving clearly in his hand. Thankfully, he was going to kill a innocent soul today.


End file.
